When capturing a medical image, it is often desired to label the image to indicate and describe the anatomical structure under evaluation. Some imaging systems allow a user to label a medical image with textual remarks known as annotations or with graphical symbols known as pictograms. On some systems, pictograms are implemented as two-dimensional outlines that offer limited information about the anatomy under evaluation. Many two-dimensional pictograms do not define direction and are useful only as a generic label for anatomy. In some systems, a series of two-dimensional pictograms offering different outlines of the same anatomy (e.g., right kidney, left kidney) are presented for user selection. A user can also place a dash next to the two-dimensional pictogram to indicate the general position and orientation of the transducer probe. In at least one ultrasound imaging system, a displayed two-dimensional fetal pictogram can be rotated about a single axis to indicate the general placement of the fetus in utero, and a marker indicating transducer probe location can be positioned near the two-dimensional pictogram and rotated about a single axis to indicate where the transducer was in relation to the scan.
There is a need for a method and system for labeling a medical image with a pictogram that provides users with more information about the anatomical structure under evaluation.